International Football
Salah-less Egypt beat Angola in Cairo, Libya snatches late winner over Gabon
Egypt and Libya recorded home wins on Wednesday night in Group F Matchday 1 of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar qualifiers.
The Pharaohs scored early to beat Angola 1-0 in Cairo, while the Mediterranean Knights needed a stoppage time goal to beat Gabon 2-1 in Benghazi.
At 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Egypt had a penalty awarded after four minutes for a foul on Ahmed Aboul Fetouh inside the visitors’ area. From the spot, Mohamed “Afsha” Magdy made no mistake to put the Pharaohs ahead.
Despite being hot favorites to win, The Pharaohs survived numerous scares from Fabio Abreu and his team-mates, but for goalkeeper Mohamed Elshenawy who stood tall to stop all Angolan chances.
In the second half, chances were rare for both sides, as Hossam Elbadry men cruised to a minimal but vital win at home.
The Pharaohs next stop will be Franceville, where they face Gabon next Sunday.
In the other Group F match, Libya came from behind to secure a home victory in the dying seconds over Patrice Neuveu’s Gabon in Benghazi.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring via Andre Biyogo Poko after 11 minutes.
Just before the half-hour mark, Ali Salama’s header restored parity for the hosts after a corner kick.
After the goal, Libya pushed even harder for victory, but they had to wait until the second half dying seconds.
Four minutes into injury time, Sanad EL Warfali took advantage of a counter attack to give the Mediterranean Knights a precious victory that put them on top of the group.
Libya will fly to Luanda to face Angola on Tuesday.
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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